


Frosting

by arachnidstardis



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Homestuck Shipping World Cup 2014, Pale Romance | Moirallegiance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-23
Updated: 2014-05-23
Packaged: 2018-01-26 04:43:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1675115
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arachnidstardis/pseuds/arachnidstardis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fill for HSWC BR1: Memories</p>
<p>Jane Karkat: Remember when Karkat stopped by Jane’s bakery after the biggest bust of his career?</p>
<p>
  <i> “If I have to think about this week’s colossal, unreparable fuckup for another minute, not even John can stop me from marching back over there and tearing that ridiculous idiot’s intestines out through his protein chute! </i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Frosting

The door flew open, the jangling bells above it flinging outwards like they were trying to escape. Jane looked up from behind the refrigerator case as a veritable storm rolled into the shop. He stomped past the wrought iron tables and behind the case, slumping into the chair Jane kept near the wall. His head hit his knees and he let out a quiet grunt, in stark contrast to the rest of his entrance. Jane turned to the baker across the room, speaking with a customer.

 

“Feferi, can you cover the front for a few minutes?” Her co-worker waved cheerfully, frilly ear fins undulating. “Thanks!”

 

Jane knelt down in front of Karkat. “Do you want to talk about it?”

 

“If I have to think about this week’s colossal, unreparable fuckup for another minute, not even John can stop me from marching back over there and tearing that ridiculous idiot’s intestines out through his protein chute! The customer is most definitely not always right!!” His voice rose steadily until Jane could see Feferi making soothing motions with her hands at the people she was with. She stood up for a moment, sliding her fingers into the hair between his horns and patting him lightly. With her other hand, she reached over him to the pegs on the wall.

 

“Well, would you like to come back into the kitchen with me?” She met his eyes as he looked up, holding up her second-best apron. He nodded and accepted the apron with a curled hand, straightening slowly and tying it. Karkat let her tug him gently by the hand through the swinging doors back to the kitchen.

 

A fresh batch of vanilla-frosted, oversized cupcakes rested on the preparation table, the ovens to the right humming with more baked goods underway. Jane went towards the back and retrieved a pastry bag full of her signature buttercream frosting.

 

“Here, these cupcakes are going out on display. We just need to put designs on them.” She held up the pastry bag. “Just simple wavy lines, dots, swirls. Same pattern for each.” He nodded resolutely, holding his hands out for the pastry bag with his jaw set. She smiled and withheld the bag. “It’s frosting, not something you want to strangle, remember. Hold it lightly and squeeze gently from the bottom.”

 

He nodded again, impatiently holding out his hands. Jane sighed, and passed it to him. Turning back to the cupcakes, he grabbed the base of the bag with his left hand and cradled it, using his right to aim the end-piece at the side of a cupcake. Slowly, he drew a wobbly line around the edge of the cupcake top, then dotted underneath each rise in the line. His mouth twisted to the side, and Jane looked over to see the tendons in his neck standing out. She moved closer to him, touching her arm to his side as she held the cupcake tray steady.

 

[ ](http://imgur.com/NbTNF78)

 

Jane smiled. “Good job! How about you top it off?” Karkat bared his teeth a little more but carefully lifted the bag to the top of the cupcake and attached a glob in the dead center. He looked back to her, uncertain, only to meet a steady smile. “You’re doing great, Karkat.”

 

He let out a breath, then set the pastry bag down on the table and hung his head.

 

“Karkat.” He looked up.

 

Jane held out her arms, and he leaned forward until his head hit her shoulder, his arms curling over her back.

 

“I just can’t believe I let myself get so angry with them.” She returned the hug, leaning into him and letting him run his fingers gently over the shaved sides of her head for a moment. When he let out a shaky sigh and pulled away, she turned him back to the cupcakes.

 

“Eleven left, sir! You’re not going to let the rest of this one’s brethren head out into the case without some embellishments, are you?”

 

Karkat bared his teeth in the approximation of a smile, then saluted with two fingers. “No, ma’am, Miss Batterwitch!” She grinned and steadied the tray again as he moved to the next cupcake.


End file.
